Made my first ladles over the hardy hole and step of my anvil. Made some on a wooden stump with a depression carved out. Make a round ring , end of piece of pipe with the inside rounded so it doesn't leave cut marks . Hitch pins and trailer balls make good sinking tools . Plus you can use the Hitch pins and trailer balls to planish over.

The end grain picture looks just like the steel I have had red short. The cracks in the end of the bar are just starting to crumble. First time you do it makes you say what just happened . JPH'S first book has a section that tells which steels are red short.